The present invention relates to a straw, more particularly to a straw capable of being contained and stored within a capped beverage container.
In a beverage container or dispenser capable being capped, when the beverage container is to be capped without finishing whole quantity of beverage and leaving a certain amount of beverage therein, a straw which has been in use thus far is usually taken out of the beverage container. This is done because the beverage container cannot be capped due to the interference with the straw, and even if the beverage container could successfully be capped, the straw could fall down in the container and could be sunk in the remaining beverage so that it would become unable for the straw to be taken out of the beverage container or the straw could be wetted by the beverage throughout its length so that user""s hands would be made smeary when the straw would be taken out therefrom. The straw which has been taken out of the beverage container will generally be thrown aside and will never be reused. This is because, since the straw which has once been used and taken out of the beverage container is inevitably wetted with the beverage, storing as it is causes an insanitation condition and a surrounding contamination. It is troublesome to rinse and store the used straws separately from the beverage containers each time the straws are taken out of the beverage container.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in conventional beverage containers, it is an object of the present invention to provide a straw capable of being contained and stored within a capped beverage container, sanitarily and readily, without any disadvantages, such as the inability of taking out the straw from the beverage container or the possibilities of causing surrounding contamination.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a straw comprising a cylindrical plug member having a top portion formed with an opening, and a straw member vertically extending through a bottom portion of the plug member and having a longitudinal by collapsible or retractable portion, wherein the straw is held in a state inserted into the beverage container by fitting the plug member to a top of a mouth of a beverage container, the straw being able to be protruded from the mouth of the beverage container by extending the straw member and contained within the plug member by retracting the straw member so as to allow a cap of the beverage container to be attached to the container mouth.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a straw comprising a straw member including an accordion type flexible portion which makes the straw member retractable in the longitudinal direction of the straw member, and a cylindrical plug member having an opening at a top thereof, the straw member being disposed vertically extending through a bottom portion of the plug member with the accordion type flexible portion positioned within the plug member, wherein the straw is held in a state inserted into the beverage container by fitting the plug member to a top of a mouth of a beverage container, the straw being able to be protruded from the mouth of the beverage container by extending the accordion type flexible portion of the straw member and to allow the top of the straw member to be contained within the plug member by retracting the accordion type flexible portion of the straw member so as to allow a cap of the beverage container to be attached to the container mouth.
According to still an other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a straw comprising a straw member including an outer straw portion and an inner straw portion which are telescopingly interfitted with each other, and a cylindrical plug member having an opening at a top thereof, the outer straw portion of the straw member being integrally formed with or secured to the plug member, the inner straw portion of the straw member extending vertically through a bottom portion of the plug member, wherein the straw is held in a state inserted into a beverage container by fitting the plug member to a top of a mouth of a beverage container, the straw being able to be protruded from the mouth of the beverage container by extending the inner straw portion of the straw member upward and to allow a top of the straw member to be contained within the plug member by retracting the inner straw portion of the straw member so as to allow a cap of the beverage container to be attached to the container mouth. In one embodiment, the straw may include a cap portion which is mounted on the top of the plug member so that it can be fitted to the top of the plug member to close the opening of the plug top, the cap portion having. a concave inner configuration to allow the cap portion to be closed with a top of the inner straw portion of the straw member protruded from the top of the plug member.
According to yet other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a straw comprising a plug member including a cylindrical plug portion having a top portion formed with an opening therein and a cap portion adapted to removably cover the opening at the top of the plug portion, and a straw member which vertically extends through a bottom portion of the plug member, wherein the straw is held in a state inserted into the beverage container by fitting the plug member to a top of a mouth of a beverage container, the cap portion of the plug member having a concave inner configuration so that it allows the cap portion to be closed in a state where a top of the straw member is protruded from the top of the mouth of the beverage container and from the top of the plug portion of the plug member. In one embodiment, the straw member may be retractable in the longitudinal direction of the straw member.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the plug member includes an air vent in a sidewall or bottom portion thereof.
According to yet other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage container to which either of the aforementioned straws is mounted.
According to yet other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage container with a straw, said a beverage container comprising a bottom wall, a sidewall and a mouth, said straw including a cylindrical plug member having a top portion formed with an opening and interfitted and mounted to the mouth of the beverage container, and a straw member having a top and a lower end and vertically extending through a bottom portion of the plug member, the lower end of the straw member being in the vicinity of the bottom wall of the beverage container, the straw member being retractable in the longitudinal direction, wherein the top of the straw member is allowed to be protruded from the mouth of the beverage container by extending the straw member and to allow the top of the straw member to be contained within the plug member by retracting the straw member to thereby allow a cap of the beverage container to be attached to the mouth.
According to yet other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage container with a straw, said beverage container comprising a bottom wall, a sidewall and a mouth said straw comprising a plug member including a cylindrical plug portion and a cap portion, said plug portion having a top portion formed with an opening and fitted to the mouth of the beverage container, said cap portion being adapted to removably cover the opening at the top of the plug portion, and a straw member having a top and a lower end and vertically extending through a bottom portion of the plug member, the lower end of the straw member being in the vicinity of the bottom wall of the beverage container, the cap portion of the cap member being allowed to be closed in a state where a top of the straw member is protruded from the mouth of the beverage container and from the top of the plug portion of the plug member.